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Gonzo Gaming: Genre or Attitude?

Started by Pierce Inverarity, June 29, 2007, 12:36:49 PM

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Calithena

#15
June 29, 2007, 02:15:15 PM
I don't know...I guess in LoC, I mean, it's ultimately gonzo, but it's sort of so gonzo that the gonzo's just part of what's going on.

I guess there's an element of transgression in gonzo roleplaying for me - maybe that's the attitude part - and LoC wasn't a transgressive game for me. It was just a really fun game. But all the gonzo elements are there in the setting, so in that sense maybe I shouldn't have reservations after all.
Looking for your old-school fantasy roleplaying fix? Don't despair...Fight On![/I]

Calithena

#16
June 29, 2007, 02:18:16 PM
In old D&D you make up some crazy 87 hit die flying fungus, there's one line of stats and a paragraph of crazy description, and then it's there in play. Or you make a half-demon character with your GMs permission, jack a few stats, draw an ugly picture, and you're off to the races.

3.5 takes a lot more work to get there, and in fact one of my beefs with it was that going gonzo with the powergaming can cut against gonzoness of vision. But I think 3.5 can deliver gonzo visions too, because it's such a huge toolbox, it's just work (and maybe some aesthetic grief).
Looking for your old-school fantasy roleplaying fix? Don't despair...Fight On![/I]

Pierce Inverarity

#17
June 29, 2007, 02:26:40 PM
Cali, total agreement re. Tekumel and Glorantha. These contain traces of gonzo but are quintessentially about something else. I mentioned them for sake of completeness.

It is my firm belief that, while WW games are the antithesis of gonzo on every level, 3E too makes it as hard as possible to gonzify play.

Thoroughly logical and pervasive powergaming-oriented mechanics = anti-gonzo. This statement is not invalidated but rather corroborated by Rifts. Reason: game balance = anti-gonzo.

Therefore, you should NOT sell your Arduin stuff, is what I'm saying.

Sett: true. EC is a meeting point of the gonzo survivor and the gonzo antiquarian. Not sure about the Pratchett/Jackson distinction?
Ich habe mir schon sehr lange keine Gedanken mehr über Bleistifte gemacht.--Settembrini

Pierce Inverarity

#18
June 29, 2007, 02:27:32 PM
Aha, you're realizing it yourself!
Ich habe mir schon sehr lange keine Gedanken mehr über Bleistifte gemacht.--Settembrini

RPGPundit

#19
June 29, 2007, 02:47:53 PM
I agree completely with the original poster.

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Pierce Inverarity

#20
June 29, 2007, 03:06:17 PM
The original poster? That's me!

One more thing.

As Rob Conley summarized it so well in another thread: schools of gaming are distinguishable by by plot, setting, and attitude to the rules.

Not rules. Attitude towards rules.

Gonzo attitude towards rules = cavalier. Sometimes, this is internalized in the rules themselves (cavalier rules), as a deliberate element of design: Rifts, Arduin.
Ich habe mir schon sehr lange keine Gedanken mehr über Bleistifte gemacht.--Settembrini

Settembrini

#21
June 29, 2007, 03:14:55 PM
Fuck the rules and your attitude to it.
It´s about aesthetics and atmosphere at the table.

Game-flow might be interrupted by rules, that might be a factor, though.

If you think barrier peaks (or Borbarads Fluch) fucks up your campaigns aesthetics, you are doing it wrong. That´s the core of the problem.

You can have pretty bad-ass-viking hat DM gonzo gaming, I´d say.
Rules attitude is not as important.

Attitude to the flow of the game way more.

@tangent: refreshing to discuss at the speed of thoughts, not be slowed down by JimBobian wordiness.
If there can\'t be a TPK against the will of the players it\'s not an RPG.- Pierce Inverarity

Settembrini

#22
June 29, 2007, 03:20:29 PM
My take on Eberron: It´s pretty much totally like German Shadowrun. Gonzo elements, taken far, far too seriously by everyone involved = 90ies all the way.
If there can\'t be a TPK against the will of the players it\'s not an RPG.- Pierce Inverarity

Pierce Inverarity

#23
June 29, 2007, 04:16:41 PM
Quote from: SettembriniRules attitude is not as important.

Attitude to the flow of the game way more.


Same difference, sector duke. Gonzo aesthetics overrides balance. Gonzo flow overrides stat block scrutinizing.

On a related note, gonzo wackiness overrides rules-implemented narrative. Gonzo proves ex negativo why Mearls can/could talk to R. Edwards even as both couldn't talk to David Hargrave.

QED.

Re. Eberron: yes, dear god, yes.
Ich habe mir schon sehr lange keine Gedanken mehr über Bleistifte gemacht.--Settembrini

Sosthenes

#24
June 29, 2007, 04:53:49 PM
Hmm, is it just me or has this discussion taken a slight turn? It's not gonzo gaming as an option, but as the only way to game. At least it sounds that way...
 

David R

#25
June 29, 2007, 05:32:50 PM
You mention Tekumel but not Jorune. :grumpy:

Quote2. Attitude

Gonzo gaming attitude (GGA) shall be defined here as "simultaneously taking yourself and your character seriously and not." Litmus test: You care for your character.

This part seems a bit wonky. Going by this definiton, how does "gonzo" differ from any other gaming attitudes?

Regards,
David R

Gunslinger

#27
June 29, 2007, 07:11:32 PM
...WOW a real life game designer here on island!:eek:
 

Calithena

#28
June 29, 2007, 08:29:31 PM
Jorune and Harn are not gonzo; the setting of Chivalry & Sorcery is not gonzo; Ars Magica is not gonzo; Pendragon is not gonzo.

(Just to make the contrast class clear. Gonzo =/= teh kuhl. I played in some fuckin' lame gonzo campaigns back in the day, let me tell you.)
Looking for your old-school fantasy roleplaying fix? Don't despair...Fight On![/I]

beeber

#29
June 29, 2007, 08:31:16 PM
i'd love to try that one (d02) out with my group, for shits & giggles.  i'm sure they'd have a blast with it
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